Fabric wind-up means for looms



Nov. 1, 1955 w. J. BUDZYNA ETAL FABRIC WIND-UP MEANS FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. .28, 1954 IJN ENTOR. LEONARD Ji -22s I .4 ,5

A TTORNE Y Nov. 1, 1955 w. J. BUDZYNA ETAL FABRIC WIND-UP MEANS FOR LOOMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1954 INVEN TOR. WALTER J. BUDZYNA BY LEONARD M. 206525 ggfkflwzifiz 4 7 'TORNE v United States Patent Ofiice 2,722,240 Patented Nov. 1, 195.5

FABRIC WIND-UP MEANS FOR LOOMS Walter J. Budzyna, East Douglas, and Leonard M. Rogers,

Mendon, Mass., assignors to Draper Corporation, Hopedale, Mass., a corporation of Maine Application September 28, 1954, Serial No. 458,832

9 Claims. (Cl. 139308) This invention relates to fabric wind-up means for weaving looms.

It is a general object of the invention to devise a windup means which shall be simple, inexpensive and effective in performing its intended function.

It is a specific object to provide a wind-up which shall accommodate a very large roll before doifing and which need not start to wind on a roll of more than normal size.

A further object is that of winding a very tight and firm fabric package.

Another object is that of devising mechanism which will require few moving parts, which shall provide for dofiing with safety and in which there shall be no tendency to vary the tension on the cloth from start to finish of a package and with which there will be no resulting effect on the take-up roll so as adversely to affect the quality of fabric woven.

A further object is that of arranging a simple disconnecting means by which it becomes possible to release and inspect a section of fabric as weaving progresses or to cut out a piece of the goods, and then to start the wind-up function and continue as before.

Other objects will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

Various means have been employed in looms for winding the fabric as it is advanced by the take-up roll and to be practical, all must be combined with means to facilitate dofiing. It is now desired to wind a very large roll, and for many reasons, it is not fully satisfactory to attempt to wind larger packages with present equipment. With the wind-up in which fabric is in pressure contact with the take-up roll there is little room for increased size of package while the time consumed in lowering and doifing a package is excessive.

With wind-up rolls driven through a friction clutch, one must start with a fairly large roll and may not wind a very large package because of the fact the friction to drive the full roll must be set excessively tight for a small diameter package as at the start. The fabric will be tightly wound to begin with, tension decreasing as the package increases in size, so that a soft roll with less yardage for its diameter than should be the case is forthcoming. In the latter type of wind-up the tendency of the friction clutch to drive and to slip alternately results in carrying these forces back through to the wind-up roll thereby to affect the quality of the fabric.

To overcome these and other undesirable characteristics of the prior art devices, the instant invention is directed toward a wind-up device to be driven from the take-up roll which supports the winding fabric package and advances it frictionally and under a uniform tension condition from start to finish of a package. The package wound on a core is always safely in control since the core ends are guided within restraining channels, one side of which may be opened to free the roll or core and material for dofiing at any time. i 1

. The core is centrally aligned between two driven rolls which are provided with roughened surfaces to grip the cloth, on the core. The drive for these rolls is from the take-up roll, preferably by chain and a gear train, one of which gears may be displaced to free the rolls from their drive so that the fabric may be drawn out for inspection or may be unwound. Preferably the take-up includes a pinch roll so weaving may continue while the fabric wind-up is inactive for a time. Later the rolls may be rotated by hand to tighten the cloth and the gears again meshed whereupon automatic winding proceeds as before.

The drive is, as will be explained in greater detail, so associated in speed to the surface speed of the take-up that the first roll has a greater speed than that of the take-up to tension the cloth as it is pulled from the take-up. Then the second roll preferably has a greater surface speed than the first so as to tension the cloth still more. The conditions of tension remain the same from substantially the start of the package to its completion. It is wound tightly and the yardage for a package of given diameter is at a maximum.

The invention will be described in greater detail by reference to the accompanying figures of drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of part of a loom to which the invention is applied.

Fig. 2 is a left hand end elevation of the drive means for the take-up roll and also shows the relationship of the wind-up and attendant part with respect thereto.

Fig. 3 is a right hand end elevation of the loom showing driving connections from the take-up roll to the wind-up means.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the lower part of the drive means of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 shows in end elevation the mechanism of Fig. 4.

Now referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the invention is shown as applied to a loom having loomsides 10 and 11, a breast beam 12 and a girt 13. A cloth roll stand includes a left hand upright stand 14 and right hand stand 15. These attach at their lower ends to girt 13 and at the upper ends to the breast beam. At the top front part of the loom framework there is journaled a take-up roll 16 which has a roughened surface of any suitable type such as may be utilized to draw the fabric from the weaving point. This roll is positively driven by known means which includes a gear train generally indicated at 17, the ratio of which may be changed as desired. This train is rotated by a ratcheting means better shown in Fig. 2 and includes a ratchet wheel 18, pawl 19 at one arm of a lever 20 pivoted at 21, the other arm of which is connected by link 22 to an eccentric 23 carried by gear driven shaft 24. The latter rotates as a part of the loom and at a prescribed speed. Other parts of this ratcheting means include stop pawl 25 and let-back pawl 26. This part of the device will not be described in greater detail here since a full description thereof is available in United States Patent 2,663,328.

The wind-up means is built around two driven rolls mounted low in the framework and adapted to support and frictionally advance a cloth package winding upon a core or roll. A front roll 27 is borne in bearings 28, one of which is to be found at the lower part of each of stands 14 and 15. These are preferably antifriction type bearings but may be any suitable bushing or the like. A roll 29 similar to roll 27 is likewise rotatable in other bearings at the rear of the girt. These bearings are preferably carried partly in the stand and partly in a cap screwed to the stand which, in turn, is provided with a foot and a pad 30 by which it is attached to girt 13.

Each of these rolls is rough surfaced in some acceptable manner, for example, by metallizing. A coating of steel may be sprayed onto a core and will present a rough granular surface which will grip the cloth without harming it. Of course, other surface structures are to be used if found more acceptable.

These rolls 27 and 29 are spaced so that a normally sized core 31 will be borne between them without excessive pressure. This cord has end spindles S which are guided within a more or less vertically disposed slot or guideway G in the stand. This slot is formed between a rear wall 32 cast as an integralpart of the stand and a front, hinged member 33. T helatter is pivoted at 34 to the stand and is retained in place at the top by a latch 35 pivoted at 36 and having engagement with a shouldered part 37 at the upper end of the member. A stop 38 prevents the latch from falling when the member is swung down to open the slot orguideway and permit release of the roll ends as at doffing. It will be noted that the lower end of the slot isclosed since pivot 34 is a few inches above the point of starting the winding. However, up to that pointthe roll is so sm'allthat it is easilyhandled and may merely be lifted out of the guideway.

These rolls are'driven from the take-up roll 16, as shown here, but it is to be understood that the drive, although preferred as herein illustrated, may be taken off any moving member which would rotate in synchronism with the take-up. Roll 16 is fast on shaft 39 and a'sprocket 40 keyed to the shaft end drives directly to a sprocket 41 and gear 42 unitarily rotatable on a shouldered stud 43 bymeans of chain 44. This stud is threaded into-a tapped hole in stand 15 and serves at its outer end to attach a plate 45.

Each ofthe rolls 27 and 29 has a small gear numbered 46 and 47, respectively, fixed to the extending shaft for that roll. A second stud 48 is fixed in the stand 15 and projects through an opening in plate 45. On this stud and free to rotate or slide endwise thereon is an intermediategear 49 having ahub 50 which is grooved as at 51 and which terminates in a small handwhe'el or knob52. The'gears 46 and 47 are of double length or slightly more and when the parts are positioned as in Fig. 4, the rolls are driven through the chain 44, gear 42 and intermediate gear 49 which meshes with both gears 46 and 47. In-that position a'detent 53 which slides on screw 54 engages in groove 51 to maintain the axial position of the parts.

When it is desired to discontinue the wind-up function while the loom continues to weave or for any reasonto disturb the cloth on the wound package or to doif a package,knob 52 is pushed in after raising detent 53 and the gear 49 willthen be withdrawn from mesh withgear 42, but will meshes with the gears at the rolls themselves. Therolls are then free and'fabric may be doffed, may be drawno'ut for inspection, etc. When desired it may be taken back by turning the fabric package itself untilthe fabricis taut whereupon the knob '52is pulled out to mesh gear 49with gear 42 so as to-start theautomatic wind-up. Since the remaining gearsare never out of meshthere is a:prob1em' of bringing the teeth of only two gears int'o alignment, a comparatively simple matter. This knob is preferably drilled or notched to permit insertion-of a bar of some sort so as to apply leverage in winding.

The wind-up is designed to tend to pull the fabric faster than it is delivered by the take-up and also, in a preferred form, to tension the fabric between rolls 27and 29. In one form of the invention that is done by making the gear ratios and the diameter of roll 47 (the first to receive the fabric) such that the surface speed of that roll is about /Q of 1% greater than the surface speed of roll 16. Then the second roll may be of slightly greater diameter than the first, e. g., /2 of 1% greater. Alternately, the gear 46 roll 16 and over a pinch roll 56, is passed under roll 57 and I behind rolls 58 and 59, all of whichare for the purpose of guiding the cloth away from contact with other parts of the loom and from the Winding package, the size of which is limited only by the distance between rolls 27, 29 and the roll 16. The guideways in the stands are inclined slightly forwardly so the package clears the fabric at the back.

If desired, stop means functioning when a definite roll diameter has been reached may be used. That will avoid an oversized roll interfering with the take-up roll or other arts.

The rolls 5659 are preferably provided with rough surfaces so as to make certain that they rotate and with a roughened surface, they serve to maintain the fabric width and to prevent the fabric from wrinkling or creasing.

This description has been mainly directed toward describing one side (the driving side) of the wind-up, but the opposite stand and attendant parts are the same except that the stands themselves are made as rights and lefts.

In some cases it may be desirable to bring the cloth down at the front and to reverse the rotational direction of the parts so the fabric will wind toward the back of the loom. This is a mere reversal and alterations to permit it will be apparent.

While the guideways for the roll ends are nearly vertical they may incline as required to build a large packageor to avoid interference between fabric and machine parts. In some cases the guiding path may follow an arc.

While certain'perceritage of increase of surface speeds of the various rolls over the speed of those preceding have beenmentioned byway of example, it is to be understood that theseare not absolute limits and that changesmay be made depending'upon materials, surface covering for the rolls and other general loom characteristics.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it isto be understood that the inventive concept maybe carriedout in a number of ways. This invention is,'therefore, notto'be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modifications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of th'e Claims.

We claim:

1. In a'lo'om having a take-up roll and a cloth rolland cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises in combination,guide means for the cloth rollends, a pair of supporting and driving 'rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon b'ear, and means for driving said rollsfrom the take-up roll so that'the first'toreceive the fabric from that rollis drivenat a surfacespeed slightly in excessof the speed of that roll and the second at a speed slightly in excess of the speed of the first.

2. In a-loom having a take-up roll and a cloth'rolland cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises in combinatiomguide meansfor the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, and means for driving said rolls from the take-up roll so that-thefirst roll to receive the fabric from-that roll is driven at asurface speed'slightly in excess-of the surface speed of the take-up roll, and the second of said i'olls'to'reeeive the fabric is driven at'the same =angular speedas the first but has an effective diameter slightly greater than the first.

3. 'In aloom havifig'a take-up roll and a cloth roll and cloth'roll supporting aridrotating means which comprises in combination, 'guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of saidguide means, upon which the roll andfabric thereon bear, and means for positively driving each ofsaid'rolls from the take-up roll through an-intermediate member selectively movable to arid from'a driving and a non-driving relationship thereby to connect and to disconnect the fabric wind-up as desired.

Infa 'lbom'having a' take tip rollanda cloth roll-and clothflrpil supporting atfd'r'otating means which comprises in combination, guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, and means for driving said rolls from the take-up roll so that the first roll to receive the fabric from that roll is driven at a surface speed slightly in excess of the surface speed of the take-up roll, and the second of said rolls to receive the fabric is driven at the same angular speed as the first but has an effective diameter slightly greater than the first, said means for driving the supporting and driving rolls comprising a gear train one of which is an intermediate gear movable to and from a driving and a non-driving position thereby to free the said rolls for rotation independently of the take-up roll.

5. In a loom having a take-up roll and a cloth roll and cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises in combination, guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, and means for driving said rolls from the take-up roll so that the first roll to receive the fabric from that roll is driven at a surface speed slightly in excess of the surface speed of the take-up roll, and the second of said rolls to receive the fabric is driven at the same angular speed as the first but has an effective diameter slightly greater than the first, said means for driving the supporting and driving rolls comprising a chain and a gear train said chain driving one gear from the take-up roll, a gear for each said roll and an intermediate gear meshing with that gear driven by said chain and said gears for the supporting and driving rolls, and means to displace said intermediate gear to disconnect the drive.

6. In a loom having a take-up roll and a cloth roll and cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises in combination, guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, and means for driving said rolls from the take-up roll so that the first roll to receive the fabric from that roll is driven at a surface speed slightly in excess of the surface speed of the take-up roll, and the second of said rolls to receive the fabric is driven at the same angular speed as the first but has an effective diameter slightly greater than the first, said means for driving the supporting and driving rolls comprising a chain and a gear train said chain driving one gear from the take-up roll, a gear for each said roll of width greater than the width of the gear driven by the chain and an intermediate gear meshing with that gear driven by said chain and said gears for the supporting and driving rolls, said intermediate gear being axially movable out of engagement with said chain driven gear while remaining in mesh with said wider gears.

7. In a loom having a take-up roll and a cloth roll and cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises incombination, guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, and means for driving said rolls from the take-up roll at a surface speed slightly greater than that of the take-up roll itself, said cloth roll supporting and guiding means comprising stands having a. slot extending in a plane intermediate said supporting and driving rolls, said slot being defined by a fixed Wall member and a movable wall member, the latter being releasable for permitting the dofiing of a roll of fabric.

8. In a loom having a take-up roll and a cloth roll and cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises in combination, guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, and means for driving said rolls from the take-up roll at a surface speed slightly greater than that of the take-up roll itself, said cloth roll supporting and guiding means comprising stands having a slot extending in a plane intermediate said wind-up rolls, said slot being defined by a fixed wall member at the rear and at the front, a pivoted member and a latch for retaining said pivoted member in place, but releasable for permitting swinging of the member so the roll and fabric may be doffed.

9. In a loom having a take-up roll and a cloth roll and cloth roll supporting and rotating means which comprises in combination, guide means for the cloth roll ends, a pair of supporting and driving rolls for the cloth roll, one at either side of said guide means, upon which the roll and fabric thereon bear, rotatable guide means about which the fabric is passed as it moves from the take-up to the wind-up rolls, the last of these means being at lower elevation than the top of the wind-up rolls, and means for positively driving said supporting and driving rolls at a surface speed slightly greater than that of the take-up roll itself.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,963,808 Robertson June 19, 1934 2,354,952 Hornbostel Aug. 1, 1944 2,442,127 Heiss May 25, 1948 

